Ground-to-air missiles are designated to kill flying objects typically enemy aircrafts. Some missiles such as the one known as the “Arrow”, manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries, are capable of destroying enemy ground-to-ground ballistic missiles such as the “Scud” series manufactured by former Soviet Union and upgraded by other countries, or the “Shihab” series manufactured by the Islamic republic of Iran.
During missile theatre defense, there is a need to know the real kill picture of the threat. For example, it may well be the case that the target flying object (threat) has been damaged, but not destroyed. Note that, as a rule, the encounter between the ballistic missile and the interceptor (kill site) occurs at large ranges. Such ranges facilitate a very low resolution of the ground sensors, such as cameras and radars which are physically displaced in remote sites relative to the kill scene site, and therefore it is difficult to provide accurate kill assessment. Moreover, clouds and other atmospheric interferences may adversely affect the ability to sense the kill site.
Accordingly, due to the insufficient kill assessment, the ground sensors may erroneously indicate on successful kill, whereas the threat is only partially damaged (e.g. the warhead is still active) and continues in its flight trajectory towards the friendly territory. It may well be the case that only when the threat approaches the friendly territory it is spotted by the sensors as still harmful, due to the fact that the sensors can now observe the threat in a higher resolution.
At this stage it would be difficult to neutralize the threat since it is as a rule close to its destination in the friendly territory and has accumulated high velocity, thus hindering the prospects of another attempt of successful kill by launching one or a salvo of interceptors from the friendly territory.
There is thus a need to have substantially real-time indication (possibly visual indication) of the kill picture of the kill site, thereby affording among others better kill assessment, discrimination between real threat and decoys and other functionalities, all as required depending upon the particular application.